Introduction to

Psychology(4)
Kate Tackie
B. Pharm Pharmacy. Mphil Clinical Psychology
Motivation

• Motivation refers to the dynamics of behavior. That is ways in which

our actions are initiated, sustained and directed (Coon, 1995). For
instance, if you are hungry, you will probably go to the kitchen to dish
some food to satisfy your hunger.
• 
• FACTS ABOUT MOTIVATION
• Motivation changes over time. For example, what might serve as a
motivator today might not motivate you tomorrow.
• Motivation differs in strength (intensity). For example; An individual will
be more thirsty or less thirty.
TYPES OF MOTIVATION

Intrinsic Motivation: This is a type of motivation whereby, people participate in an activity for their own employ,
not for the reward they will get in return. For example, an individual’s self determination can produce a sense of
personal control that benefits the individual.
 
Extrinsic Motivation: This type of motivation can causes us to participate in an activity for a tangible reward.
Researchers have assessed the two types of motivation and have found out that people are more likely to
persevere, work harder and produce work of higher quality when motivation for a task is intrinsic rather than
extrinsic. Therefore it is suggested that providing rewards for desirable behavior may cause intrinsic motivation
to decline and extrinsic motivation to increase. The reasons are that extrinsic rewards may actually undermine
people’s effort and quality of performance.
 
There are several approaches to motivation some of them are;
Biological Influence
Congnitive Inflence (Expectancy/Values system)
Social/cultural Influence
Biological Influence

This approach focuses on the fact that, motivation arises from our instincts, needs
and drives, and physiological factors such as brain processes and hormones. An
Instinct is an innate (unlearned), are controlled by our nervous system. There are
instincts for different functions for example, curiosity, thirst or hunger and this
energizes us to achieve or goal.
 
Needs and Drives
A drive is a form of stimulation that occurs because of a physiological need. A need
is therefore a deprivation that energizes the drive to eliminate or reduce the
deprivation. Eg the need for food arouses your hunger drive and this motivates
you to do an activity like cook a meal to reduce the drive and satisfy the need.
Cognitive Influence (Expectancy/Values)

It focuses on the information processing abilities of an individual such

as attention, memory etc which influences his decision on what
constitutes motivation and what does not. For example your idea of
how to excel in class depends on your confidence to excel and your
expectation of success. This will enable you to relax, concentrate better
and study effectively. In the same way, if you focus on failure this can
make you too anxious and not perform well.
Social/cultural influence

This approach focuses on the concept of incentives and societal

influence as a measure of motivation, Incentives are the positive or
negative stimuli or events that motivate behavior. Incentives differ in
different settings. For example; in a school, a free bus ride for students,
Yearly Bonuses at workplace can be an incentive for the workers
present in that organization. Again societal influences such as parents,
role models and peers can give you the basis to decide what constitutes
motivation especially through comparisons.
THEORIES OF MOTIVATION

Drive Reduce Theory

Attribution theory (Beliefs)

Achievement motivation
Drive Reduce Theory

This theory states that individuals are motivated to reduce a drive and to achieve Homeostasis that is
maintain equilibrium within the body.
 
Attribution theory (Beliefs)
This theory states that individuals are motivated to discover the underlying causes of behavior as part of
the effort to make senses out of the behavior. In other words, people tend to seek the cause behind what
happens.
The causes of behavior can be attributed to internal such a s personality traits, genetic factors etc a
students can be attributed to a teacher’s plot against them or just making it difficult (external factors) or
the individual not spending enough time to study (internal factors). In a circumstance where the individual
attributes it to external factors he or she will not put in any effort to improves upon his performance on the
other hand if he attributes it to internal factors he or she will work hard to improve it.
• 
Achievement motivation

According to Murrey (1938) achievement motivation is the desire for

significant accomplishment; mastery skills or ideas; for control over
things or people; for attaining a high standard. Researchers have found
out that people, whose need for achievement is high, tend to prefer
moderately difficult tasks, for which success is attainable yet attributed
to their own skill and effort. Again people with strong need to achieve
are likely to persist even if it is a difficult task. MC Clelland (1978)
reported from a training program which he conducted, that by training
people to think, talk or act like achievement motivated people, they are
likely to expand their business or achieve their goals task set before
them.
Sources of Achievement motivation
Emotional Sources – This explains how we attach positive or negative
sentiments to achievement.
Cognitive Sources – This can be found in attribution of our achievement
to our own competence efforts so as to develop higher expectations.
MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF
MOTIVES
• According to Abraham Maslow hierarchy of motives individual’s main
needs are satisfied in the following sequence; physiological, safety,
love and belonging, esteem and self-actualization. It further states
that people are motivated to satisfy their physiological needs for food
before they are motivated to achieve and satisfy their safety needs.
When they are satisfied before they strive for love and belonging
needs. Finally, this theory suggest that, the need for self-actualization
is the highest and most elusive of Maslow’s needs and it motivates
every individual to develop his or her potentials to the fullest.
Maslow theory of hierachy

Actualization

Esteem

Love and Belongingness

(forming relationships)

Safety Needs

Physiological Needs
(food, water, sleep)
Maslow's hierarchy of motives
 
Applications
Motivation is used by child care givers to shape children’s attitudes towards
physical activities like walking, toilet training, eating, etc.
It is also used in the educational set ups to enhance performance in
students.
Motivation is used in Clinics especially during therapeutic procedures to
encourage patients to produce the desire response.
Organizations make use of motivation as a channel to enhance job
satisfaction in employees and to increase productivity as well.
MOTIVATION AND EMOTION

• Emotion: is the state characterized by physiological arousal, changes

in facial expression, gestures, posture and subjective feeling. intrinsic
motivation is closely associated with emotions because it can affect
the achievement of a goal. It can also affect the arrangement of goals
in order of priority. For example, your emotions can motivate you to
arrange your daily activities in a certain order. According Robert
Plutchk (1980, 1990) there are eight types of emotion; fear, surprise,
sadness, disgust, anger, anticipation, joy and acceptance.
• Canno-Bard theory (1927)
This theory states that activity in the thalamus causes emotional
feelings and bodily arousal to occur simultaneously.
 
• Schachter’ Congnitive theory (1971)
This theory suggests that emotions occur when physical arousal is
labeled or interpreted on the basis of experience and motivational
cues.
Types of Drives

Primary Drives – refers to physiological needs of the body (hunger &

thirst)
 
Secondary Drives – learned through experience or conditions, money or
social approval
 
Need – a requirement of something that essentials for survival
(food/water)
• 
Types of Needs

• Achievement – a type of need facilitates the attainment of goals that

are realistic and challenging

• Affiliation – a need which arises from friendly social Interactive and

relationships
 
• Power – to have control or influence over others.
 
Yerkes-Dodson Law
people have an ideal level of tension that they seek to maintain by increasing or decreasing
stimulation.
 
Assumptions of Y-D
Performance is related to arousal; Moderate levels of arousal lead to better performance,
This effect varies with the difficulty of the task;
• easy tasks require a high-moderate level 
• more difficult tasks require a low-moderate level

• Expectancy-value Theories – actions cannot be predicted or understood without

understanding the belief, value, and importance that a person attaches to those beliefs and
values at any given moment in time.
Self-determination Theory
social context of an action has an effect on the type of motivation
existing for the action
 
 Three social context explained in the self-determination theory
• Autonomy – in control of one’s behavior
• 
• Competence – mastery of challenges in life
• 
• Relatedness – sense of belonging, intimacy and security